'Legion': Get Ready for the Shadow King's True Face in Season 2

Navid Negahban will play Amahl Farouk, while more is revealed about Season 2, coming to FX in April.

“Legion” is returning in April for Season 2 on FX, as David Haller (Dan Stevens) learns that freeing himself from the Shadow King’s influence in Season 1 hardly means his threat is over.

The executive producers and cast of “Legion” were present at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour today for a panel to discuss Season 2, which began with Executive Producer Noah Hawley revealing the true form of the Shadow King/Amahl Farouk will be played by Navid Negahban (“Homeland”).

Here are the highlights!

The Shadow King Revealed
The panel began with the debut of a scene from Season 2, as David awakens in a wheat field, where he finds a very out of place Fortune’s Teller booth. At first, no one else is present, but then a man appears and David realizes it’s Farouk (played by Negahban). Farouk boasts to David, “I hear everything. Or maybe I just read your mind,” before telling David he too is incredibly powerful.

Farouk goes on to say things like, “All the world’s a stage and you’re the star. You decide what is real and what is not. You are the creator of reality,” before proclaiming, “You and I are gods. What did John Lennon say? ‘Bigger than Jesus.’”

Seeing David is unreceptive to his words, Farouk notes his unhappy expression and then adds, “Now we have to figure out if you’re mad at me or yourself.”

Keeping Things Weird
“Legion” has a distinct, offbeat style and many moments of surrealism and the cast were asked just how much they question what’s happening in the moment when they read scripts. While Stevens said he certainly had questions at times, he noted it was “part of the fun of the show,” and added, “I don’t question too far into the future. I trust the writing will lead us somewhere and it always does and it’s always fascinating.”

As Hawley explained, “I’m just doing an experiment basically and using this genre to try to solve these characters and what’s fun about is because it is a genre show, you can do things that you can’t do in a linear drama. You can say, ‘Alright, I can literally take you into the memories of this character and try to understand who he is.’ These powers can be used in a more existential way than simply by fighting for dominance.”

Said Hawley, “The idea of making something unexpected is important, and this word ‘uncanny,’ which I know I’ve talked about.”

Referencing the Marvel source material of “Legion,” Hawley noted, “Originally it was called THE UNCANNY X-MEN and that word uncanny is very specific, referring in a lot of ways to the horror when familiar things act in unfamiliar ways. I like to question everything. ‘Why does the world have to be right side up?’, for example.”

Lenny’s True Self
In Season 1, the Shadow King also existed inside David’s friend, Lenny (Aubrey Plaza), and Hawley remarked, “He wore different faces. This season we’re meeting him for the first time, but that doesn’t mean he won’t continue to hide and he’s not continuing to use people like Jemaine [Clement as Oliver] and Aubrey [as Lenny].”

Meanwhile, Hawley said, “What was interesting for me for Lenny was to keep her evolving. This has been a traumatic experience for her as well. What’s on the other side of that? What is the collusion with this guy look like and what’s her culpability in all this?”

Hawley noted that and Plaza had had a lot of conversations where she’d asked him who Lenny fundamentally is, without the Shadow King’s influence, and “We’ve channeled that into the work.”

Said Plaza, “She was being used in the first season. [Now] she almost becomes like David in Season 1, in the sense that she doesn’t know what’s real or who she is or what’s happening. The power that I thought I had has been taken away from me and I’ve been slowly stripped down. We get to see who she really is.”

David’s Next Step
As for the man at the center of “Legion,” David Haller, Hawley said, “If the first year was sort of the story of an insane man in a sane world, I was interested in looking at David now being the sort of sane man in an insane world. We’ve established that he doesn’t have schizophrenia and he has these abilities.”

Suffice to say, David will return after his mysterious abduction at the end of Season 1, but Hawley said, “He comes back and the world is a very different place,” adding, “I was interested this year at looking at a mass psychology.”

Hawley said David, “Is on a journey here in which in the language of this world we have heroes and villains and it’s not determined yet where he’ll end up. A lot of that will have to do with what’s holding him on the new path. This love story with Rachel [Keller as Syd] and his experience with Farouk and so I think that’s really interesting to explore.”

Stevens said that in Season 2, David has, “Issues of trust. Who exactly has rescued him and what have they rescued him from? Where does he now find himself? Is he a force for good or evil and either way, is he being used? And what does that turn into?”

He added, “What team does he end up playing for is always in play and that’s really heightened this year, I think.”

Legion: Season 2 debuts in April on FX. Keep up with the latest from the show with @LegionFX on Twitter, the official “Legion” Facebook page, and @Legion_FX on Instagram!

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The Women of Jessica Jones

Published Mar 16, 2018
By Tucker Chet Markus

Krysten Ritter and Melissa Rosenberg join the podcast!

With Season 2 of Marvel’s Jessica Jones now streaming, Judy welcomes Krysten Ritter and Melissa Rosenberg (Showrunner) to chat about the importance of a female lead, Jessica’s fashion, and giving advice to young fans.

Produced by Judy Stephens and Brandon Grugle
Associate Produced by Chloe Wilson
Art by Allyson Wakeman
Music by Karen Kanan Corrêa

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Women of Marvel is coming to c2e2 in Chicago from April 6-8th! Stay tuned for more information!

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The Women of Marvel podcast assemble to chat all things Marvel and more! New episodes will be released every Thursday, co-hosted by Marvel VP, Content and Character Development Sana Amanat, Marvel.com Producer Judy Stephens, along with Assistant Editor Christina Harrington and Talent & Senior Creative Producer Lorraine Cink.

Have feedback or questions? Email us at WomenOf@marvel.com, or tweet your questions and comments to @Marvel with the hashtag #WomenOfMarvel.

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Things Get Messy in a New 'Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!' Season Premiere Sneak Peek

Published Mar 15, 2018
By Eric Goldman

The new season begins Sunday, March 18th at 8:00am ET/PT on Disney XD!

The Guardians of the Galaxy are back for their third season in “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!” — debuting this Sunday on Disney XD — and the season kicks off with two new episodes, as the Guardians try to pull off a prison break and then encounter none other than Spider-Man!

We’ve got a clip from you from the season premiere above, as Drax tries to deal with some of the other inhabitants inside the Collector’s collection and things get decidedly messy.

Check out the official descriptions of the first two episodes of the season below.

“Mission: Breakout” – The Guardians must work together to escape the elaborate prisons created for them by The Collector.

“Back in the New York Groove” – The Guardians meet up with Spider-Man in New York City to defeat Thanos’ super-powered symbiote.

You can watch the first two episodes of “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!” this Sunday, March 18, from 8:00am-9:00am ET/PT on Disney XD!

Annabella Sciorra Joins 'Marvel's Luke Cage' Season 2

The Emmy-nominated 'Sopranos' alum will be part of the new season, debuting June 22 on Netflix.

Marvel Television and Netflix announced today that Annabella Sciorra has joined the second season of “Marvel’s Luke Cage.”

Sciorra will play Rosalie Carbone, a dangerous downtown criminal underworld power player with an eye, and an agenda, toward Harlem. Sciorra joins returning cast members Mike Colter (Luke Cage), Simone Missick (Misty Knight), Alfre Woodard (Mariah Dillard), and Theo Rossi (Hernan ‘Shades’ Alvarez). All 13-episodes of Season 2 of “Marvel’s Luke Cage” will premiere on June 22, 2018, exclusively on Netflix.

Best known for her acclaimed, Emmy-nominated performance as Gloria Trillo in HBO’s “The Sopranos,” Sciorra also starred in Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever” and Curtis Hanson’s “The Hand That Rocks The Cradle,” among other high profile roles. She received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead in Nancy Savoca’s “True Love” and will be seen next in a recurring role in Season 2 of Netflix’s “G.L.OW”

Annabella Sciorra

Said “Marvel’s Luke Cage” Executive Producer and Showrunner, Cheo Hodari Coker, “I’ve been a huge fan of hers since Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever, and Anabella Sciorra is no joke as Rosalie Carbone. You haven’t seen her this gangster since her thrilling turn as Tony’s formidable flame Gloria Trillo on Season 3 of ‘The Sopranos.’ I’m thrilled her introduction to the Marvel Universe will be on ‘Marvel’s Luke Cage.’”

“We couldn’t be happier to be working with such an incredible talent,” said Jeph Loeb, “Marvel’s Luke Cage” Executive Producer and Marvel’s Head of Television. “This character is complex and layered and Annabella is the perfect actress to portray her.”

In “Marvel’s Luke Cage” Season 2, after clearing his name, Luke Cage (Mike Colter) has become a celebrity on the streets of Harlem with a reputation as bulletproof as his skin. But being so well known has only increased the pressure he feels to protect the community. With the rise of a formidable new foe, Luke is forced to confront the fine line that separates a hero from a villain.

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'Marvel's Jessica Jones' Gets Pulp Covers for Season 2

Flip through the artwork inspired by pulp novels, the show, and each episode's director!

Marvel Comics recently collaborated with Netflix to produce 13 pieces of art to celebrate season 2 of “Marvel’s Jessica Jones”!

The covers highlight individual episodes, as well as their directors and writers, with pulp novel inspired art created by 13 all-star artists in their own signature styles. Look through all 13 covers here!

Keep yourself together. 'Legion' premieres April 3 on FX.

You can see the image below, which depicts David Haller (Dan Stevens) in an offbeat and evocative manner that feels right at home within the imaginative world of “Legion.”

The key art isn’t the only new “Legion” imagery that has recently been released. Check out the gallery below to see new Season 2 images of the entire cast of the series, leading up to the season premiere airing April 3 on FX.

Based on the Marvel Comics by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz, “Legion” follows David Haller, a man who believed himself to be schizophrenic only to discover that he may actually be the most powerful mutant the world has ever seen.From childhood, David shuffled from one psychiatric institution to the next until, in his early 30s, he met and fell in love with a beautiful and troubled fellow patient named Syd (Rachel Keller). After Syd and David shared a startling encounter, he was forced to confront the shocking possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees may actually be real. Syd led David to Melanie Bird (Jean Smart), a demanding but nurturing therapist who heads a team of specialists – Ptonomy (Jeremie Harris), Kerry (Amber Midthunder) and Cary (Bill Irwin) – each of whom possesses a unique and extraordinary gift. Together, they helped David to recognize and harness his hidden powers. With their support, David finally unlocked a deeply suppressed truth – he had been haunted his entire life by a malicious parasite of unimaginable power. Known as the Shadow King, this malevolent creature appeared in the form of David’s friend Lenny (Aubrey Plaza), but is actually an ancient being named “Amahl Farouk.” In an epic showdown, David and his friends battled his demon, ultimately forcing it from David’s body. Unfortunately, Farouk found a new host – Melanie’s husband Oliver Bird” (Jemaine Clement) – and escaped. Just when they thought they’d earned a moment of respite, a mysterious orb appeared and took David away to an unknown place. With David and Oliver missing and Farouk on the loose, the team forms an unlikely alliance with their former enemy Clark (Hamish Linklater) and his well-funded government organization, Division III. Meanwhile, Amahl Farouk (Navid Negahban) is on a new path to attaining infinite and world-ending power.

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Ant-Man Faces a Hulkbuster-Powered Ultron in New Marvel Funko Short

Watch 'Big Robot Little Problem' to see how Ant-Man deals with a very big problem!

Ultron has menaced the Avengers many times, so is Ant-Man in, ahem, big trouble as the robot villain strikes in a new Marvel Funko Short?!

When Ultron gains possession of the Hulkbuster at Avengers HQ in “Big Robot Little Problem,” Ant-Man proves that size doesn’t matter – it’s how you use it. Watch the short above at the top of the page!

The Marvel Funko shorts include story and animation by A Large Evil Corporation and were executive produced by Brian Mariotti, Dan Buckley, Cort Lane, Joe Quesada, and Alan Fine.

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'Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout' Premieres March 18th on Disney XD

Published Mar 10, 2018
By Eric Goldman

The Guardians find themselves framed by the Collector in the third season.

“Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!” is set to debut Sunday, March 18 at 8:00 a.m. ET/PT on Disney XD and DisneyNOW, as the animated series returns for its third season with a one-hour telecast.

Season 3 finds the Guardians amidst fame and fortune after arresting Thanos and then quickly back on their feet after being framed by the Collector. They’ll travel to new universes, stage the ultimate sting operation inside Nova Corps, and expose a highly anticipated secret invasion.

Check out the new video above to see what’s in store for the Guardians and a glimpse at some of their encounters along the way during the “Mission Breakout!” season!

“Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!” stars Will Friedle as the quirky leader Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Trevor Devall as the temperamental and tough-talking Rocket Raccoon, Vanessa Marshall as the unparalleled warrior Gamora, David Sobolov as the rough-edged warrior Drax the Destroyer, and Kevin Michael Richardson as tree-like humanoid Groot.

The Collector in “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!”

The three final episodes of the season air Sunday, March 11 from 8:00-9:30am on Disney XD!

The “Marvel’s Avengers: Secret Wars” season finale airs this coming Sunday on Disney XD, and there’s some huge events still left to unfold in the three episodes that wrap up the epic Beyond/Battlworld storyline, as a ton of Avengers join forces!

You can read the episode descriptions below for each episode, and then check out a clip above to see a notable group of Avengers assemble to take down the Mindless Ones using every power and ability they can.

“The Citadel” – Captain America and Iron Man are captured by the Beyonder and the villain team he’s assembled.

“The Wastelands” – Before they can use the Bifrost to undo Battleworld, the Avengers must defeat the Beyonder’s forces, Ares and an army of Ghost Riders.

“All Things Must End” – After Loki becomes the Sorcerer Supreme, the Avengers are the only thing standing between him and domination of the universe.